Corvino merger fizzles + Mahomes talks 1587 Prime

Welcome back to Let’s Dish — your one-stop shop for all things eats in Kansas City. I’m Alison Booth, the assistant audience service editor here at The Star.

This week, we take a look at the planned acquisition of a James Beard-nominated restaurant that fell through, and a historic local barbecue spot that’s trying to turn things around. 

Plus, Patrick Mahomes talked this week about how 1587 Prime is buzzing, and an acclaimed restaurant couple has opened their long-anticipated eatery. 

Let’s dig in.

Corvino deal falls through

Corvino Supper Club & Tasting Room will no longer be acquired by a growing local restaurant group, citing the group’s “inability to uphold their original commitments.”

The acclaimed fine-dining spot and W. VinZant Restaurants, spearheaded by restaurateur Whitney VinZant, had announced the union in August, framing it as a partnership of Corvino’s culinary vision and VinZant’s business expertise. 

But in a message sent to staff last week, co-owners Michael and Christina Corvino said they decided to walk away from the deal, saying, “We cannot lower our standards or ethics no matter what.”

VinZant, a Kansas City native, has expanded aggressively in recent years, adding Gram & Dun, Heritage by Bo Lings, Waldo Pizza, and, most recently, Café Trio to his portfolio, among others. 

Read more about what we know from my colleague David Hudnall. 

What’s new?

A long-running KCK barbecue spot that once drew the praise of Anthony Bourdain and Guy Fieri is planning an old-school revamp. 

Woodyard Bar-B-Que has “gotten away from what makes us special,” according to Frank Schloegel III, 83, who has owned the place for about 25 years. 

Now, Frank and his family have taken back control of the restaurant, which officially opened in the late ‘90s but had been selling wood to Kansas Citians — including Ollie Gates — since 1913.

Here’s what’s in store. 

À la carte

✴️ What’s it like owning the hottest steakhouse in town? Patrick Mahomes opened up this week about how 1587 Prime is going — and how it’s already a staple for his teammates.

✴️ They owned Justus Drugstore and Black Dirt. Now, a decorated KC restaurant couple is back with their new upscale restaurant, a West Coast take on seafood. 

✴️ There’s a new darts bar in KC — and it’s “not your grandpa’s darts,” it says. Check out the new Crossroads spot, owned by a local group that runs a few other popular concepts in KC.

✴️ Travis Kelce said this is his favorite spot to grab wings in KC, and prodded his brother Jason to go on their latest podcast. He’s not the only Chiefs player who calls it their fave, either. 

✴️ Since this new Pakistani restaurant opened in Lenexa last week, its owner says lines have been out the door. “We want to create a family restaurant here,” he added. 

My standout dish of the week

I live and work in Kansas City, so it’s rare to find me venturing out to the ‘burbs on a weekday. This week, though, I had a hankering for Homer’s Coffee House in downtown Overland Park.

The coffee house has remained a staple in the neighborhood for over 20 years, even as the district has blossomed, welcoming in Strang Hall, several new restaurants and, now, a complete renovation of their farmer’s market that’s expected to be completed next year. 

I remember stopping by the place when I was a young high schooler to see a friend’s band perform. On Thursday morning this week, it was bustling with remote workers typing on their laptops (myself included), old friends catching up and the sweet tones of my favorite artist Lucy Dacus humming through its speakers. 

My hot oat milk latte, lightly sweetened with brown sugar syrup, was the perfect balance of sugar and espresso, and the baristas heated up my indulgent slice of cinnamon roll cake without me asking. 

It was a sweet reminder that even as downtown areas in Johnson County like this one boom and grow, some things never change. 

Hungry for more?

• Check out all the restaurants we’ve covered in our Let’s Dish series here.

• Looking for the latest industry news? Here’s what spots have opened and closed in the KC area lately.

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Happy eating! We’ll see you next week.

This story was originally published October 24, 2025 at 10:47 AM with the headline "Corvino merger fizzles + Mahomes talks 1587 Prime."